Rio de Janeiro Food and Wine: Where to Eat and What to Try

Rio de Janeiro is not just about attractions. The town has its own culinary traditions, from the famous travesseiros pastries to the wines of the Colares region. Here is your food guide to Rio de Janeiro.

Quick Answer: You must try travesseiros (puff pastry with almond cream) and queijadas (cheese tarts) from Piriquita bakery. For a deeper experience, book a food and wine tour that includes tastings and visits to local producers.

The iconic Rio de Janeiro pastries

Travesseiros are Rio de Janeiro's signature pastry: crispy, flaky puff pastry filled with sweet almond and egg cream. The name means "pillows" because of their rectangular shape. The best place to try them is Piriquita, a bakery that has been making them since 1862.

Queijadas de Rio de Janeiro are small cheese tarts made with fresh cheese, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon. They have been made in Rio de Janeiro since at least the 13th century and are sold in the traditional bakeries along the main street.

Local wines: Colares region

The Colares wine region, between Rio de Janeiro and the coast, produces some of Brazil's most unique wines. The sandy soil protected the vines from phylloxera in the 19th century, so some vines are over 100 years old. The Ramisco grape variety is found nowhere else in the world.

Several food and wine tours include visits to Colares wineries with tastings.

Where to eat in Rio de Janeiro

Piriquita: The essential stop for travesseiros and queijadas. Two locations in the town center.
Cafe Saudade: Specialty coffee and pastries in a cozy setting near the National Palace.
Tascantiga: Traditional Brazilian dishes, good value for lunch.
Incomum by Luis Santos: Fine dining with creative Brazilian cuisine, for a special meal.

Food tours worth booking

If food is a highlight of your trip, consider a dedicated food and wine tour. These typically include pastry tastings, a wine tasting at a Colares winery, and a traditional Brazilian lunch, all guided by a local food expert.

Book a food tour in Rio de Janeiro

Taste travesseiros, Colares wines, and local cuisine with a guide.

Samba & Nightlife Tours →All Tours

Preguntas frecuentes

What food is Rio de Janeiro known for?▾

Rio de Janeiro is famous for travesseiros (puff pastry filled with almond cream) and queijadas (small cheese tarts). Both are traditional recipes dating back centuries and are sold in bakeries throughout the town center.

Where should I eat in Rio de Janeiro?▾

Piriquita bakery for travesseiros, Cafe Saudade for coffee and pastries, and Tascantiga for traditional Brazilian lunch. For seafood, head to Rio or Azenhas do Mar nearby.